The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to tread on the heights. Habakkuk 3:1, NIV

 

Deer are incredibly agile. Have you ever seen the impressive leaps they make when threatened by predators? They climb steep, rocky slopes to places where their enemies struggle to reach them. And the most amazing part? They rarely lose their footing!

 

It reminds me of our own lives and how, just like those antelope, we sometimes find ourselves trying to escape our own “predators”.

 

Sometimes it's illness – our own or that of someone we love. Sometimes it's the pain of a broken relationship. Other times, it's fear of the future or guilt over something in our past that just won't let go.

 

And when it feels as though we're slipping down a steep cliff, desperately trying to find our footing, Habakkuk reminds us that the Sovereign Lord is our strength and he makes our feet like the feet of a deer, enabling us to tread on the heights.

 

Not only when everything is going well. Not only when we feel strong. But especially when we are at our weakest. God gives us strength beside a hospital bed, in a courtroom, in an examination room and in those moments when we simply don't know which way to turn.

 

God doesn't promise that we will never face danger or difficult circumstances. But he promises to give us the strength to get through them. He makes our feet like those of a deer. He helps us find firm footing, even on the most difficult terrain.

 

Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you for giving me strength when I feel weak. Help me to keep my eyes fixed on you today, even when life feels uncertain. Thank you for being my strength and my solid rock. I pray this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.